Car-fender



(No Model.)

E. B. CLARK. GAR FENDER.

Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

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U ITED STATES PATENT rrucn.

ELIJAII B. CLARK, OF COHOES, NEW YORK.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 552,348, datedDecember 31, 1895. Application filed October 25, 1895. Serial No.566,925. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH B. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gohoes, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders; and I dohere by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a car with a fender which shallbe simple and strong in construction and effective in operation. This Iaccomplish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fender embodying my inventionapplied to a car. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of a runnerand forward end of frame-bar.

As illustrated in the drawings, the fenderframe is composed of avertical section and a vertically-movable horizontal section. Thevertical section is composed of the vertical bars 13 and cross-bar O,and the horizontal section is composed of the longitudinal bars H, frontcross-bar K, and rear cross-bar G, which rotates in a bearing g, so asto permit the horizontal section to be folded up against the car. Theframe may be, if desired, provided with an auxiliary bar L, which hasits ends bent parallel, and inserted in the forward hollow ends of thelongitudinal bars H,

which hollow ends also contain spiral spring P, which bears against theparallel ends of the bar L. This cross-bar L is preferably covered withrubber tubing. An apron is secured at its upper end to the uppercross-bar O of the frame, and at its lower end to the lower frontcross-bar K. This apron is made reticulated in form and is preferablycomposed of wire cloth. The side edges of the apron are provided withbinding-strips D, which are flexibly connected together by means of aring d or other similar means. The sides of the apron are also providedwith laterally-extending cut-away portions 6, which take away thenatural tendency of a Wire-netting to rebound when an object is thrownonto it. Stay-cables F are placed back of the apron to help sustain anyweight that may be imposed on the apron itself, and these cables areprovided with springs f to permit the cables to conform to the apron.Spring-runners M, which also serve as braces to the frame, extend fromthe cross-bar G of the frame to the front cross-bar K, and are curveddownward slightly at their forward ends to bear with such portionsagainst the track. I prefer to extend the lower cross-bar G of the frameoutward and to extend a guard-cable J from the outer end of such bar tothe forward end of the bar H of the frame. A lifting-chain N, or othersuitable device is connected at its lower end to the forward lowerportion of the frame and its upper end may be detachably secured in anysuitable manner to the upper bar 0, or to the car itself. The front endof the horizontal frame is supported by the cables I.

The lower section of the fenderis ordinarily held slightly above theground by means of the lifting-chain N, in substantially the positionindicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

WVhen an obstacle is met in the path of the car, the operator, byreleasing the upper end of the lifting-chain N, permits the forward endof the fender to drop at once to the ground, with the forward ends ofthe runners in contact with the rails. The yielding cross-bar L as itstrikes such obstacle is pressed back slightly by means of the spiralsprings P, so as to reduce the shock. A rubber tubing catches or picksup such an obstacle more readily than a bar having a hard outer surface.WVhen the forward end of the frame is raised into a perpendicularposition by means of the lifting-chain N, the car-coupling is exposed sothat another car may be attached, if desired.

The entire fender may be readily removed from the car by lifting theframe vertically and releasing the curved end of the bars B from theforward end of the car.

What I claim is- 1. In a car fender, an apron having its sides providedwith laterally extending cutaway portions and binding strips flexiblyconnected together, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car fender, the combination of a main frame having a verticalsection, and a vertically movable horizontal section, and an apronhaving its sides provided with binding strips flexibly connectedtogether, and with laterally extending cutaway portions, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. In a car fender, the combination with a frame having a verticalsection, and a pivoted horizontal section; of an apron, an auxiliary barcovered with yielding material and having its ends connected withsprings, and spring runners extending from the front to the rear of saidhorizontal section, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car fender, the combination with a main frame having a verticalsection and a vertically movable horizontal section, of an apron havingits sides provided with binding strips flexibly connected together, andwith laterally extending cut away portions, and stay cables beneath saidapron provided with springs, substantially as shown and described. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJ AH B. CLARK. WVitnesses:

ROBERT W. HARDIE, OHAs. H. MILLs.

